Second Thoughts

Second Thoughts (Picks up where Sparring left off) An open door framed the Christmas tree from where Sarn sat on the edge of his bed, his son’s head pillowed on his thigh, but from that angle what was visible instead, was not the silver fringe unraveled. The tree spoke of things unknown, begged questions with every hanging ornament and bell. Evergreen sprigs and wreaths–decorations that changed the familiar terrain leaving him confused at night, wond’ring where currents of this season would take him next, wond’ring if flight might’ve been best ‘fore his son learnt of this ‘Christmas’. The boy knew it existed, too late to file it away … Continue reading Second Thoughts

Dancing in the Sun

Dancing in the Sun She’s dancing in the sun and in its light, reveling in the setting day, laying to rest all our woes as night creeps into sight. Its purple, spangled allure is rolling on in and swallowing the east. In its folds she hooks her fingers and pulls, blanketing Shayari in sleep’s release. While in the west, she dances, a joyful spark on the horizon, moving daylight west and allowing those behind to rest. She dances ’round the globe raising dawn’s light and pushing out night ‘fore it can oppress. She’s dancing with the sun, whose rays caress, … Continue reading Dancing in the Sun

Reflections

Reflections Concentric rings disrupted the image reflected in the pool; drips from fingers dropped onto that watery assemblage where a pair of glowing green eyes linger. Sarn turned his back on the water’s mirror and the stalactite’s slow weeping to pace. His son continued making rings appear and glowing stones’ reflections dance in place. “Why you sad?” Ran asked, eyes on his canvas. “Not sad just–” Sarn broke off, magic crested, he breathed in deep, and fought it down en mass. It strained ‘gainst mental chains, then rested. Deep breath, water plinks, a touch to his leg, a hug, but he feels like a powder keg. ~ ~ ~ He’s walking, … Continue reading Reflections

The Bloodcrow

The Bloodcrow Through an aperture, he saw the Bloodcrow sift through the bodies scattered on the track. Dread hammered nails in his apathy, sowed a frantic beat in his veins, magic jacked… “Papa, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.” Small hands patted Sarn’s face, empyreal radiance cut ‘cross the scene in green beams. His magic threw the dream, reached for the real. Ran pancaked into a relieved embrace. Sarn blinked away that dream but its presence lingered like a whalebone in a back brace– still pressing its unwanted influence. “Why you not have good dreams?” Ran still held tight. “‘Cause fanatics did bad things in … Continue reading The Bloodcrow

Sparing

Sparing (Continues where The Perfect Stone left off) Sarn spat blood, ignored the bright motes floating in the red stain, as he rose for round four. “Come on, stop defending. Start offending,” said his teacher for this match, a man four decades past caring and two past Sarn’s age. “Come on, Kid, hit me. No more defense try some offense now. I could hit at your age.” In a glance, Sarn saw the practice stave by the wall; he’d lost it in the last exchange. A flurry of blows kept him moving back, dodging, blocking but allowing no change to tactics criticized in this attack. A halt … Continue reading Sparing

The Perfect Stone

The Perfect Stone (Picks up where Light the Wreath left off) Seeking the perfect one, Ran touched the stones. “Make them glow,” he said; Sarn touched them; they lit, ’til he moved his hand away. “Pick one stone.” Ran piled the stones up and smiled for his bit. A voice cried out, “make a way for the Lord.” Again he cried, “make straight a path for God.” A ragged man passed, eyes afire for this ‘Lord’ with zealous light as he shouted for his God. Sarn shook his head, “I can’t afford that pile.” “Make more money,” Ran shrugged, the answer clear. Sarn shook his head; time to leave ‘fore the mild crowds, with the man … Continue reading The Perfect Stone

Mistaken

Mistaken A woman passed, caught Ran’s glance, made him start– for there walked his missing mama. Holding tight to his stuffed bear’s arm, he hurried, heart yearning for her touch. His small form’s threading through the market; the crowd’s blocking his sight. The market sprawls in a mile wide cavern. His mama could be anywhere. Dim light cheats his sight making it hard to discern. Down one aisle, then another, he’s lost now. He’s hugging his bear, looking everywhere. Mama’s gone; he’s abandoned, so he slows. Then he’s lifted up, held tight; Papa’s there. Ran was never lost at all just misplaced and … Continue reading Mistaken

Future’s Fire: Sheltamarae, the Dragon

Future’s Fire: Sheltamarae At the top of the world he bides, seer, fire-breather, smoke-weaver, Sheltamarae he’s called. Through fire he watches near and far, future events and present day. Greater than he is the Lord who made all, who put the future in his claws. Empires rise and fall as he watches. Future’s thrall, his gaze is locked on fate’s flickering fires that’re never quenched ‘til mankind’s strivings cease. Evil breathes on that fire, incites a blaze that eats possibilities, ashes peace, brings nations to their knees, but since it stays within the rules, he can’t intrude, even though the … Continue reading Future’s Fire: Sheltamarae, the Dragon

The Luckiest People Eat Humble Pie

The Luckiest People Eat Humble Pie The first person I encountered today wasn’t supposed to be dragon, glaring mom’s disapproval down at me, no way! Her red claws caged me where I stood staring, holding the last piece of sweet pumpkin pie. Her magic engulfed me and my skin itched. “Mom this is child abuse!” I cried but my words left my beak as chirps. My form she’d switched again for a bird’s wings but why this time? “I told you not to start another war.” Mom’s flaming eye enlarged showing my crime. Bloated bodies, sun-baked, are dead from war. I … Continue reading The Luckiest People Eat Humble Pie

Chandelier’s Swing

Chandelier’s Swing He wanted to throw off his disguise, swing from the chandelier over the crowd, drop down on the dais sword drawn, one swing away from decapitation, one drop of a headless corpse to the ground and his comrades, the Guardians, avenged. He gripped the cane that supported him and bandages pulled against wounds unavenged. Masked dancers moved beneath the chandelier whose light glistened off their costumed faces. One girl in wine cast her eyes without fear at the betrayer she stalked. Her laces hid a surprise he guessed but her quarry retired, leaving her an unknown story. ~ ~ ~ … Continue reading Chandelier’s Swing

The Wanderer

The Wanderer He kept the balance ‘tween good and evil, natural and corrupted, man and beast. The One Continent is his cathedral. Its upkeep, the last Balancer bequeathed. Across Mori Kana’s rust sands to drive demons out of  Morfane’s fabled onion- domed spires. He climbs to higher ground to deprive those demons access. He smote in canyons deep their remains, scattering them on winds westward-running towards aeries in the peaks. At climbs end, he reclines in peace, unwinds with glossy bat-winged humanoids. ‘Till speaks his sixth sense of danger brewing abroad. A giant eagle flies him to trouble’s fjord. ~ ~ ~ Based on ‘The legend … Continue reading The Wanderer

Decide: Dread, Fury or the Guilt that Haunts

Decide Five years ago… Blood dripped into his eyes, blinding him; pain hammered his body. Bones poked through his skin. One arm and one leg bent the wrong way. Pain throbbed in his head, darkening within ’till without faded, awareness dwindled down to a woman’s voice. “You must decide to live or die.” She squeezed his hand, kindled a flicker of will whose blaze had once pried him from death; it would now  if he allowed. “The Kid’s strong; I can’t help if he objects,” said the healer. “His magic won’t allow.” “Sarn,” said his brother, “don’t you dare object.” Decide now: life … Continue reading Decide: Dread, Fury or the Guilt that Haunts

Contrivance – One Word Photo Challenge

Contrivance In chrome it gleams; at the bottom of pots, it waits. In my fridge it chills, though it still beckons. More insistent than dark chocolate, it baits me with visions of green valleys; dead-on in my sights, an Enchanted Forest spreads. Dragons ride the thermals and cats foretell, offering beach blanket fliers not bread, but bowls of soup to sup upon while spell Cat winds with words both old and kind of times when heroes rode, a Child of Magic strode and sword made whole when right healed the old crime which drove a line of men onto shame’s road. Reflected in glass on my appliance, is … Continue reading Contrivance – One Word Photo Challenge

Masks

Masks He toweled birth fluids off his hands; the colt tottered to his mum’s waiting teat to eat. A tickle in his mind, a soft slide, no jolt, just a smile as the connection that cheats the miles ‘tween his mind and mom’s cemented. Her much-missed voice in his head, soft and sweet, praised the colt he’d helped birth; sad news dented his mirth; his captive grandpa’s dead; grief beat him down, twelve years of mind-talk, no contact, not safe ma’d said. He kicked the mask, pining. No masked fete for him, not when this contact had broken his heart. “Are the stars shining?” mom asked. He tilted his head, … Continue reading Masks

Peace

Peace Peace’s posed behind glass; she stood spotlit, melting in the heat, walled away from those passing on the street. They don’t give a whit about peace as she stands there her hands to those chasing dollars ‘stead of dreams. They don’t see her sprout wings, a white dove breaking through glass shattering the scene. She’s flying now, free from admiration lauded on her glass cage; no longer a concept seen but not touched. She can go where she’s needed; no one can impede her. She’s no exhibit, not some high minded-ideal. She’s everyone; Every smile we make; every hand we shake. Every … Continue reading Peace